JPWO2020090517A1 - Storage equipment and substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A storage device (100, 20) for storing cassettes (10, 20) in order to pull out the substrate (W) from a cassette (10, 20) in which a plurality of substrates (W) are laid out and accommodated so as to be drawn out and to be used in a processing process. ), And between the mounting portion (110) on which the cassette (10, 20) is detachably mounted, the detachable position of the cassette (10, 20), and the storage position of the cassette (10, 20). The back of the moving part (120) that moves the mounting part (110) horizontally and the cassette (10, 20) that is supported by the mounting part (110) and mounted on the mounting part (110). A regulating portion (130) facing the end face on the side is provided.

Description

The present invention relates to a storage device for storing a substrate and a substrate processing device including the storage device.

Conventionally, semiconductor devices widely used in electronic devices and the like are manufactured from wafers in which optical devices and the like are incorporated in each region divided into a plurality of regions. Such a wafer is subjected to various processes such as a step of polishing both sides of the wafer and a step of adjusting the thickness to a uniform thickness. When the wafers are transferred to each process, a plurality of wafers are usually housed together in a cassette and set in each device.

The following Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a cassette containing a substrate is carried into the apparatus by a tray. The cassette is placed on a tray pulled out of the device. By pulling the tray horizontally, the cassette is carried into the apparatus. A shutter is arranged so as to be movable up and down behind the tray retracting position. When the tray is pulled out, the shutter moves upward in conjunction with the movement of the tray, and the back side of the retracted position is closed by the shutter. When the tray is pulled into the device, the shutter moves downward in conjunction with the movement of the tray, and the back of the retracted position is opened. As a result, the cassette and the transport area on the back side of the pull-in position communicate with each other.

In this semiconductor braking device, when the tray is pulled out, the back side of the retracted position is closed by a shutter, so that when the cassette is stored in the device, the operator may put his hand in the transport area inside the device. Be prevented.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-216216

In Patent Document 1, while the tray is being carried into the apparatus, there is a risk that the substrate may pop out and fall from the cassette placed on the tray in the carrying-in direction.

In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage device capable of safely and smoothly supplying a substrate to a transport region in the device, and a substrate processing device including the storage device.

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a storage device that stores cassettes in order to pull out the substrates from the cassettes in which a plurality of substrates are laid out and accommodated so as to be subjected to a processing step. The storage device according to this embodiment includes a mounting portion on which the cassette is detachably mounted, and a moving portion that horizontally moves the previously described mounting portion between the mounting / detaching position of the cassette and the storage position of the cassette. It is provided with a regulating portion that is supported by the previously described mounting portion so as to be able to move up and down and that faces the end surface on the back side of the cassette mounted on the previously described mounting portion.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, since the regulating portion is supported by the mounting portion, the regulating portion integrally moves in the horizontal direction as the mounting portion moves. Therefore, while the cassette and the mounting portion are horizontally moved from the attachment / detachment position to the storage position, the regulating portion continues to face the end face on the back side of the cassette. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the substrate from jumping out of the cassette and falling in the moving direction of the mounting portion during the movement of the mounting portion.

In the cassette stored in the storage device, the side from which the substrate is pulled out is open, and this open side is referred to as "the back side of the cassette". Hereinafter, "the back side of the cassette" has the same meaning.

In the storage device according to the present embodiment, the restricting portion may be configured to be supported by the supporting portion via a link mechanism that brings the restricting portion closer to and away from the end surface on the inner side of the cassette as it moves up and down.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, when the regulating portion is raised or lowered to open the end face on the back side of the cassette, the regulating portion can be retracted in a direction away from the end face on the back side of the cassette. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the regulating portion from moving up and down while rubbing against the substrate, and it is possible to prevent the substrate from being damaged.

The storage device according to the present embodiment includes a shutter that is vertically supported by the above-described mounting portion on the back side of the restricting member, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the shutter at the storage position. , It may be configured to be integrally supported by the shutter.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, since the elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the shutter is shared for raising and lowering the regulation unit, the mechanical system and the control system can be simplified. Further, when the mounting portion is positioned at the attachment / detachment position, the entrance / exit of the mounting portion is blocked by the shutter, so that the operator may suddenly insert his / her hand inside the storage device when attaching / detaching the cassette. Can be prevented.

In the storage device according to the present embodiment, the elevating mechanism includes a receiving member driven in the vertical direction, and the shutter is integrally equipped with a linking member that fits into the receiving member at the storage position. Can be configured.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, when the mounting portion moves to the storage position, the linking member on the shutter side fits into the receiving member on the lifting mechanism side, and the lifting mechanism and the shutter are linked. As a result, the shutter can be smoothly moved up and down by the raising and lowering mechanism at the storage position.

In the storage device according to the present embodiment, the storage device is provided integrally with the shutter, and includes a transfer roller for transferring the above-described mounting portion between the attachment / detachment position and the storage position, and the transfer roller is the linking member. The transfer roller may be configured to fit into the receiving member when the above-described resting portion moves to the storage position.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, since the transfer roller is also used as the linking member, the configuration can be simplified. Further, at the storage position, the transfer roller is fitted into the receiving member to restrict the movement of the moving member, so that the mounting portion can be appropriately positioned at the storage position.

The storage device according to this aspect may be configured to include a detecting means for detecting whether or not the substrate is protruding from the cassette at the storage position.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, it is possible to quickly detect that the substrate is protruding from the cassette to the back side of the cassette while the shutter is opened and the device is operating.

The storage device according to this embodiment includes a first storage unit for detachably storing the first cassette and a second storage unit for detachably storing the second cassette, and the first cassette is provided. The second cassette may be configured to be removed from the second storage portion while the substrate is pulled out of the substrate and subjected to a processing step.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, while the substrate is pulled out from the second cassette and subjected to the processing step, the first cassette for which the substrate has been supplied first is taken out from the first storage unit, and the first cassette is taken out. The substrate can be stored in one cassette, and the first cassette can be stored in the first storage unit again. As a result, when all the substrates are supplied from the first cassette to the transport path, the substrates are accommodated in the first cassette without temporarily stopping the supply operation, and the first cassette is accommodated in the first accommodating portion. Can be stored. Therefore, the substrate can be continuously applied to the processing process from the first cassette and the second cassette, and the operating rate of the storage device can be increased.

Further, the substrate subjected to the processing step from the second cassette may be returned to the second cassette after being processed by a predetermined device. In this case, after all the substrates used in the processing step from the second cassette have returned to the second cassette, the second cassette is taken out from the second storage unit, and the processed substrate is removed from the second cassette. The collected and raw substrate can be stored in the second cassette and stored again in the second storage unit.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to this aspect relates to a storage apparatus for accommodating a cassette in order to pull out a substrate from a cassette in which a plurality of substrates are laid out and accommodated so as to be subjected to a processing step. The storage device of this embodiment includes a mounting portion on which the cassette is detachably mounted, a moving portion that horizontally moves the previously described mounting portion between the mounting / detaching position of the cassette and the storage position of the cassette. It is provided with a storage device that is supported by the above-mentioned resting portion so as to be able to move up and down, and is provided with a regulating portion that faces the end face on the back side of the cassette mounted on the previously described resting portion. Further, in the substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment, a scribe unit that forms a scribe line on the surface of the substrate, a film laminating unit that attaches a film to the surface of the substrate on which the scribe line is formed, and the film are attached. An inversion unit that inverts the substrate so that the surface is on the lower side, a break unit that applies a predetermined force to the surface to which the film is not attached to divide the substrate along the scribe line, and the substrate. The film is provided with a transport unit for transporting the film to a predetermined position.

According to the configuration according to this aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a storage device capable of safely and smoothly supplying a substrate to a transport region in the device, and a substrate processing device including the storage device.

The effects or significance of the present invention will be further clarified by the description of the embodiments shown below. However, the embodiments shown below are merely examples when the present invention is put into practice, and the present invention is not limited to those described in the following embodiments.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a configuration of a substrate supply system according to an embodiment. FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a cassette housed in the substrate supply system. FIG. 1 (c) is a perspective view showing a storage device of the substrate supply system, and corresponds to FIG. 1 (a). 2 (a) to 2 (c) are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. 6 (a) to 6 (c) are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are enlarged views around the link mechanism. FIG. 6C is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. 8 (a) to 8 (c) are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. 8 (a) and 8 (b) are enlarged views around the link mechanism. FIG. 8C is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. 10 (a) and 10 (b) are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. FIG. 10A is an enlarged view of the periphery of the link mechanism. FIG. 10B is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 11 (a) and 11 (b) are perspective views showing the configurations of a pull-out mechanism and a moving mechanism of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. 12 (a) and 12 (b) are perspective views showing the substrate supply system and the transport path according to the embodiment. 13 (a) and 13 (b) are perspective views showing the substrate supply system and the transport path according to the embodiment. FIG. 14A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. FIG. 14B is a flowchart showing the operation of the substrate supply system according to the embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus including the substrate supply system according to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other are added to each figure. The XY plane is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction. The positive side of the Z-axis is upward, and the negative side of the Z-axis is downward. Further, in the present embodiment, the Z-axis direction is the "stacking direction" described in the claims. This stacking direction may be described as "vertical direction" in the present embodiment. Further, the Y-axis direction is the "direction perpendicular to the stacking direction" described in the claims. This Y-axis direction may be described as "horizontal direction" in the present embodiment.

<Embodiment>
The storage device 100 of the present embodiment is used to supply a wafer to a transport path for transporting the wafer to a predetermined device when manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, which is a material for a semiconductor device widely used in electronic devices and the like. In the present embodiment, the substrate to be stored in the storage device 100 is a semiconductor wafer attached to an annular frame with a dicing tape. Hereinafter, the "semiconductor wafer attached to the annular frame with a dicing tape" is simply referred to as "wafer W".

In the present embodiment, the storage device 100 is built in the substrate supply system 1 including a pull-out mechanism 200 for pulling out the wafer W from the storage device 100 and a moving mechanism 300 for moving the wafer W to a predetermined position. It will be described as a device. Further, in the description of the present embodiment, the position where the wafer W is completely pulled out from the substrate supply system 1 is referred to as a “drawing position”, and the position where the wafer W is delivered from this drawing position to the transport path is referred to as a “delivery position”. ..

Examples of the material of the wafer W include single crystal silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide (GaSa), and the like. The material, thickness, and size of the semiconductor wafer as described above are appropriately selected and designed according to the type, function, and the like of the semiconductor device for manufacturing purposes.

1A to 1C are perspective views showing the configuration of the substrate supply system 1. 1 (a) is a perspective view of the substrate supply system 1, FIG. 1 (b) is a perspective view showing a cassette in which a wafer W is housed, and FIG. 1 (c) is a perspective view of a storage device 100. It is a figure.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the substrate supply system 1 includes a storage device 100, a pull-out mechanism 200, and a moving mechanism 300. Although the entire storage device 100 is covered with a housing, this housing is omitted for convenience of explanation. Hereinafter, in all the drawings, the housing covering the entire storage device 100 is omitted.

The storage device 100 stores the wafer W supplied to the transport path. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, a plurality of wafers W are housed in a cassette in a laminated state, and the cassette is housed in the storage device 100. In this embodiment, two cassettes, a first cassette 10 and a second cassette 20, are prepared. Grooves 12 are provided at predetermined intervals on the inner side surfaces of the side walls 11a and 11b of the first cassette 10. By inserting the wafer W into the groove 12, the wafer W is accommodated in a state of being supported inside the first cassette 10.

A handle 13 used by an operator to carry the first cassette 10 is provided on the upper portion of the first cassette 10. Since the second cassette 20 has the same configuration as the first cassette 10, description thereof will be omitted. In the above description, the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 have been described as a common cassette, but the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 are provided on the inner side surfaces of the side walls 11a and 11b. The spacing between the grooves 12 may be different, and the number of wafers W to be accommodated may be different.

The storage device 100 stores the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 described above. As shown in FIG. 1 (c), the storage device 100 includes a first storage unit 101 and a second storage unit 102 arranged side by side in the stacking direction of the wafers W, that is, in the vertical direction. Further, the storage device 100 includes a mounting unit 110 on which the first cassette 10 is detachably mounted on the first storage unit 101, a housing 103 covering the first storage unit 101, and a housing 103. A door 104 attached to the mounting portion 110 and a handle 112 installed on the mounting portion 110 are provided.

As described above, in the storage device 100, the first storage portion 101 is covered with the housing 103, and the storage device 100 is provided with a door 104 that opens and closes in the horizontal direction. The door 104 is attached to a housing covering the entire storage device 100 (not shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C), and when the door 104 is opened and closed, the first storage unit 101 can be accessed. can. Further, the door 104 can be made of a transparent member so that the operator can visually recognize the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 while the board supply system 1 is in operation. FIG. 1C illustrates the case where the door 104 is transparent.

The housing 103, the door 104, the mounting portion 110, and the handle 112 described above are similarly provided for the second storage portion 102.

As described above, the storage device 100 includes the first storage unit 101 and the second storage unit 102, and the door 104 is provided in each of the first storage unit 101 and the second storage unit 102. .. Therefore, for example, while the wafer W is being supplied to the transport path from the first cassette 10 stored in the first storage unit 101, the operator opens the door 104 of the second storage unit 102 to obtain a second position. The mounting portion 110 of the storage portion 102 of 2 can be pulled out in the negative direction of the Y axis. At this time, when the second cassette 20 is not stored in the second storage portion 102, or the wafer W is not stored in the second cassette 20 (that is, all the wafers from the second cassette 20). When the W was supplied to the transport path), the operator accommodated the wafer W in the second cassette 20 and appropriately mounted the second cassette 20 in the mounting portion 110 of the second storage portion 102. After that, the mounting portion 110 of the second storage portion 102 is pulled in in the positive direction of the Y axis. In this way, the second cassette 20 can be stored in the second storage unit 102.

Note that FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (c) show the shutter 140 of the first storage unit 101 and the shutter 140 of the second storage unit 102 so that the inside of each storage unit can be seen for convenience of explanation. Is shown in the open state, but does not correspond to the actual operation. This also applies to FIGS. 12 (a) to 13 (b).

Further, as shown in FIG. 1C, the storage device 100 includes a moving unit 120, a regulating unit 130, an elevating mechanism 150, a support unit 160, a link mechanism 170, and a detecting means 180. There is. The moving portion 120 is not shown in FIG. 1 (c), but is shown in FIG.

2 (a) to 2 (c) are perspective views showing different states of the storage device 100, and the left side view and the right side view correspond to each other.

As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the storage device 100 mainly has four states. FIG. 2A shows a state in which the mounting portion 110 is pulled out from the second storage portion 102 (first state). At this time, since the shutter 140 of the second storage unit 102 is closed, the operator cannot touch the storage device 100. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the mounting portion 110 is housed in the second storage portion 102 (second state). FIG. 2C shows a preparation state (third state) for opening the shutter 140 of the second storage unit 102. FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (c) correspond to a state in which the shutter 140 of the second storage portion 102 is completely opened (fourth state). Hereinafter, the configuration of the storage device 100 will be described separately for these four states. Here, the shutter 140 of the first storage unit 101 is opened upward, and the shutter 140 of the second storage unit 102 is opened downward. As described above, although the opening direction is different between the upper and lower sides, the configuration for opening the shutter 140 is the same configuration. Therefore, in the following description, the second storage unit 102 arranged in the upper stage will be focused on.

Further, when the storage device 100 is in the first state (the state shown in FIG. 2A), the second cassette 20 is detachably mounted on the mounting portion 110 of the second storage portion 102. At this time, the position of the mounting portion 110 of the second storage portion 102 is the "detachable position" described in the claims. When the storage device 100 is in the second state (the state shown in FIG. 2B), the second cassette 20 is mounted on the mounting portion 110 of the second storage portion 102, and the second cassette 20 is stored in the second storage. It is stored in the unit 102. The position of the mounting portion 110 of the second storage portion 102 at this time is the "storage position" described in the claims.

First, the case where the storage device 100 is in the first state, that is, the case where the mounting portion 110 is located at the attachment / detachment position will be described.

3 and 4 are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device 100, and show the case where the storage device 100 is in the first state. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the second cassette 20, the housing 103, and the door 104 are omitted, and in FIG. 4, the detection means 180 is further omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the storage device 100 includes the mounting portion 110, the moving portion 120, the regulating portion 130, the shutter 140, the elevating mechanism 150, the support portion 160, and the link mechanism 170. In addition to the detection means 180 and the pedestal 190. Further, in the mounting portion 110 of FIG. 3, the portion surrounded by the broken line is the area where the second cassette 20 is mounted.

Four positioning members 111 for positioning the second cassette 20 are provided on the upper surface of the mounting portion 110. When the second cassette 20 is mounted on the mounting portion 110, both ends of the side walls 11a and 11b of the second cassette 20 are fitted into the four positioning members 111 (see FIG. 1C).

The moving portion 120 moves the mounting portion 110 horizontally between the attachment / detachment position and the storage position. The moving portion 120 includes a linking member 121, horizontal slide members 122a and 122b, a guide member 123, and a protrusion member 124. The linking member 121 is not shown in FIG. 3, but is shown in FIG.

The linking member 121 is composed of a member 121a having a stepped cross section in the X-axis direction and a transfer roller 121b. A hole is formed in the lower portion of the member 121a in the X-axis direction, and the rotation shaft of the transfer roller 121b is passed through the hole. The shutter 140 is attached to the rising portion of the upper portion of the member 121a (see FIG. 5C).

The horizontal slide member 122a is provided on the mounting portion 110 side, and the horizontal slide member 122b is provided on the pedestal 190 side. When the mounting portion 110 moves in the horizontal direction, the horizontal slide member 122a moves with respect to the horizontal slide member 122b. As a result, the mounting portion 110 can be moved in the horizontal direction.

The guide member 123 is an elongated rectangular member and is installed on the pedestal 190. A gently inclined surface is formed on the positive and negative sides of the guide member 123 toward the center, and a V-shaped recess 123a is formed at the end on the positive side of the Y-axis. The lower end of the protrusion 124 provided on the mounting portion 110 is formed in a hemispherical shape (not shown). When the mounting portion 110 is moved horizontally to the storage position by the horizontal slide members 122a and 122b, the hemispherical portion of the protrusion member 124 slides on the inclined surface of the guide member 123. As a result, the mounting portion 110 is appropriately braked and can move to the pedestal 190 while decelerating. Further, the hemispherical portion of the protrusion member 124 is fitted into the recess 123a, so that the mounting portion 110 is positioned in the second storage portion 102.

In the regulating unit 130, the mounting unit 110 is in the storage position while the mounting unit 110 is moving horizontally between the attachment / detachment position (first state) and the storage position (second state). When it is positioned (second state), it prevents the wafer W from popping out and falling from the second cassette 20 to the back (the positive side of the Y axis). The regulating unit 130 comes into contact with the inner end surface of the second cassette 20. That is, it comes into contact with the wafer W housed in the second cassette 20. The regulation unit 130 is a plate-shaped member, and in the present embodiment, two regulation units 130 are provided. The regulation unit 130 is supported by the support plate 131.

The shutter 140 shuts off between the second storage portion 102 and the drawer position. In the second storage portion 102, when the wafer W is pulled out from the second cassette 20, the shutter 140 is opened, and when the mounting portion 110 moves from the storage position to the attachment / detachment position, the shutter 140 is closed.

The elevating mechanism 150 raises and lowers the shutter 140. The elevating mechanism 150 includes a driving unit 151, a receiving member 152, and elevating slide members 153a and 153b.

The drive unit 151 is a cylinder. The receiving member 152 is connected to the lower end of the rod 151a of the drive unit 151. The receiving member 152 is composed of a frame-shaped member having an open Y-axis negative side. The upper and lower gaps 152a of the receiving member 152 fit into the transfer roller 121b described above. As will be described later, when the storage device 100 is in the second to fourth states, the transfer roller 121b is fitted in the gap 152a of the receiving member 152 (see, for example, FIG. 6B). Since the receiving member 152 is connected to the rod 151a, when the driving unit 151 is driven, the receiving member 152 moves up and down integrally with the driving unit 151.

The elevating slide members 153a and 153b are provided between the shutter 140 and the support portion 160, and move the shutter 140 up and down. The elevating slide member 153a is attached to the shutter 140, and the elevating slide member 153b is attached to the support portion 160. When the shutter 140 moves up and down, the elevating slide member 153a slides and moves with respect to the elevating slide member 153b, so that the shutter 140 moves up and down.

The support portion 160 is a member having a stepped cross section in the Y-axis direction (see FIG. 6A), and is installed on the mounting portion 110. The regulation unit 130 is supported via the link mechanism 170 described below.

The link mechanism 170 includes a link base 171, a link plate 172, two link bars 173, and a link roller 174.

The link base 171 and the link plate 172 are plate-shaped members and are connected by two link bars 173. The link base 171 is attached to the shutter 140, and the link plate 172 is attached to the support plate 131. A link roller 174 is rotatably provided at the bottom of the link plate 172. The link roller 174 comes into contact with the horizontal surface below the support 160. The two link bars 173 are not shown in FIG. 3 and are shown in FIG.

As described above, the shutter 140 is supported by the support portion 160 via the horizontal slide members 122a and 122b. The link base 171 is mounted on the shutter 140, and the link plate 172 connected to the link base 171 via the link bar 173 is mounted on the support plate 131. The link base 171 and the link plate 172 form a four-bar link by two link bars 173. By this link mechanism, the link plate 172 slides while maintaining a vertical state. Then, the support plate 131 supports the regulation unit 130. Therefore, the regulation unit 130 is supported by the shutter 140 via the link mechanism 170, and the regulation unit 130 is supported by the support unit 160 via the link mechanism 170.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the first state, the link bar 173 of the link mechanism 170 is horizontal with respect to the mounting portion 110. Therefore, the link base 171 and the link plate 172 are slightly separated from each other. That is, the shutter 140 on which the link base 171 is mounted and the support plate 131 on which the link plate 172 is mounted are separated from each other. Since the regulating portion 130 is mounted on the support plate 131, the shutter 140 and the regulating portion 130 are separated from each other.

The detection means 180 is a sensor provided on the positive side of the Y-axis of the pedestal 190. The detection means 180 detects that the wafer W has fallen into the transport path from the second cassette 20.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the first state, when the mounting portion 110 is pulled out and is positioned at the attachment / detachment position, the regulating portion 130, the support plate 131, and the shutter 140 are also in the horizontal direction together with the mounting portion 110. Move to. This is a state in which the regulating portion 130 is in contact with the wafer W as shown in FIG. 2A, particularly the right side view of FIG. 2A. Therefore, when the second cassette 20 is taken out from the mounting portion 110 and when the second cassette 20 is mounted on the mounting portion 110, the operator only touches the area of the mounting portion 110. The operator's hands do not get into the transport path. Therefore, the operator can safely attach / detach the second cassette 20.

Next, a case where the storage device 100 is in the second state, that is, the case where the mounting portion 110 is located at the storage position will be described.

5 and 6 (a) to 6 (c) are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device 100, and show the state when the storage device 100 is in the second state. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are enlarged views around the link mechanism, and FIG. 6 (b) omits the shutter 140. FIG. 6C is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. Further, in FIGS. 5 and 6 (a) to 6 (c), the second cassette 20, the housing 103, the door 104, and the detecting means 180 are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the mounting portion 110 is moved to the storage position, the linking member 121, the regulating portion 130, the support plate 131, the shutter 140, and the support portion 160 are in the states shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. While maintaining it, it moves horizontally together with the mounting portion 110. At this time, as shown in FIG. 10B, the transfer roller 121b of the linking member 121 that has moved horizontally together with the shutter 140 fits into the gap 152a of the receiving member 152. At this time, the width of the transfer roller 121b is set to be wide so that when the transfer roller 121b rolls on the pedestal 190, it can be continuously transferred to the receiving member 152. Further, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the upper frame of the receiving member 152 and the shutter 140 do not interfere with each other.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, when the storage device 100 is in the second state, the link mechanism 170 is the same as in the first state. The regulation unit 130 is in contact with the wafer W so as to be slightly separated from each other. It is shown in FIG. 2 (b) that the regulation unit 130 is in contact with the wafer W.

In this way, when the mounting unit 110 moves horizontally from the first state to the second state, that is, from the attachment / detachment position to the storage position, the restricting unit 130 and the shutter 140 do not change their positional relationship with each other. It moves horizontally together with the mounting portion 110. Therefore, while the mounting portion 110 is horizontally moving from the attachment / detachment position to the storage position, the regulation portion 130 continues to abut on the wafer W. Therefore, there is no possibility that the wafer W jumps out from the second cassette 20 to the supply region side and falls. Further, since the shutter 140 blocks the supply area side, it surely prevents the operator's hand from getting into the storage device 100.

Next, the third state of the storage device 100, that is, immediately before the mounting portion 110 is located at the storage position and the shutter 140 is released will be described.

7 and 8 (a) to 8 (c) are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device 100, and show the case where the storage device 100 is in the third state. 8 (a) and 8 (b) are enlarged views around the link mechanism, and FIG. 8 (b) omits the shutter 140. FIG. 8C is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. Further, in FIGS. 7 and 8 (a) to 8 (c), the second cassette 20, the housing 103, the door 104, and the detecting means 180 are omitted.

When the mounting portion 110 is positioned at the storage position, the storage device 100 prepares to open the shutter 140 so that the wafer W can be supplied from the second cassette 20. Here, when the shutter 140 is moved up and down at once, the regulating unit 130 also moves up and down integrally with the shutter 140. Since the regulating unit 130 is in contact with the wafer W, the regulating unit 130 moves up and down while rubbing the wafer W. In the wafer W, since this causes a deterioration in the quality of the wafer W, it is necessary to separate the wafer W from the regulation unit 130 and then raise the shutter 140. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (a) to 8 (c), in the storage device 100, the wafer W and the regulating portion 130 are separated from each other in preparation for opening the shutter 140 (third state).

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (a) to 8 (c), when a predetermined pressure is applied to the drive unit 151, the rod 151a rises by a predetermined stroke. As a result, the receiving member 152 connected to the rod 151a rises by a predetermined stroke with the transfer roller 121b of the linking member 121 fitted. Since the member 121a of the linking member 121 is attached to the shutter 140, the linking member 121 and the shutter 140 are integrally raised by a predetermined stroke as the receiving member 152 is raised. At this time, the shutter 140 is guided by the elevating slide members 153a and 153b so as to be movable up and down.

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a link base 171 is attached to the shutter 140. Therefore, when the shutter 140 is raised, the link base 171 is also raised, and the two link bars 173 (see FIG. 10B) that are maintained in the horizontal direction rotate. At this time, the link roller 174 rotatably provided on the link plate 172 rolls the horizontal plane below the support portion 160 to the positive side of the Y-axis, and moves the link plate 172 to the positive side of the Y-axis. Since the link plate 172 is mounted on the support plate 131, the support plate 131 also moves to the positive side of the Y-axis. As a result, the regulating portion 130 supported by the support plate 131 moves slightly to the positive side of the Y-axis from the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 (a) to 6 (c). The link plate 172 is moved horizontally by the four-bar link while maintaining a vertical state. Then, the regulation unit 130 also moves in the horizontal direction, and the regulation unit 130 is separated from the wafer W. As a result, the regulating unit 130 can move up after being separated from the wafer W without abutting on the wafer W, that is, without shifting the position of the wafer W.

Next, a case where the storage device 100 is in the fourth state, that is, the mounting portion 110 is located at the storage position and the shutter 140 is released will be described.

9 and 10 (a) and 10 (b) are perspective views showing the configuration of the storage device 100, and show the state when the storage device 100 is in the fourth state. 10 (a) is an enlarged view of the periphery of the link mechanism, and FIG. 10 (b) is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. Further, in FIGS. 9, 10 (a) and 9 (b), the second cassette 20, the housing 103, the door 104, and the detecting means 180 are omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 9, 10 (a) and 10 (b), when a predetermined pressure is continuously applied to the drive unit 151 from the third state, the rod 151a further rises by a predetermined stroke. As a result, the transfer roller 121b of the linking member 121 is fitted into the receiving member 152 connected to the rod 151a, and the predetermined stroke is raised. As a result, the shutter 140 rises integrally with the regulating portion 130, and the second accommodating portion 102 can be opened with respect to the supply region.

The shutter 140 of the first storage unit 101 moves downward. The first storage unit 101 is composed of the same members and mechanisms as the second storage unit 102. In the first storage portion 101, the support portion 160 and the link mechanism 170 are provided upside down from the support portion 160 and the link mechanism 170 of the second storage portion 102. Other configurations are provided in the same manner as the second storage unit 102.

As described above, in the first storage unit 101, the link mechanism 170 is provided in a state in which the link mechanism 170 is upside down from the state in which the second storage unit 102 is provided. The link roller 174 of the second storage portion 102 is stably positioned on the horizontal plane of the step portion of the support portion 160 due to its own weight, even if the link mechanism 170 is not provided with an urging member.

On the other hand, in the first storage portion 101, the link roller 174 is located below the horizontal plane of the step portion of the support portion 160. As a result, the link roller 174 can be moved by its own weight. When the link roller 174 moves, the link plate 172 also moves, so that the link mechanism 170 becomes unstable. Therefore, the link mechanism 170 of the second storage portion 102 is provided with an urging member (not shown) for urging the link roller 174 upward. As a result, the link mechanism 170 of the first storage unit 101 is stabilized.

With the storage device 100 having the above configuration, when the mounting unit 110 is pulled out from each storage unit to the attachment / detachment position side, the regulation unit 130 and the shutter 140 are also pulled out. The same applies when the mounting portion 110 is returned to the storage position. Therefore, while the mounting unit 110 is moving, the regulating unit 130 continues to face the wafer W, and it is possible to reliably prevent the wafer W from falling from the cassette. Further, when the mounting portion 110 is positioned at the attachment / detachment position, the shutter 140 closes the inner part of each storage portion, so that it is possible to prevent the operator from inserting his / her hand into the storage device 100.

Next, the drawer mechanism 200 will be described.

11 (a) and 11 (b) are perspective views showing the configurations of the pull-out mechanism 200 and the moving mechanism 300.

The drawing mechanism 200 draws the wafer W from the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 in order to supply the wafer W to the transport path. The pull-out mechanism 200 includes a hand 210, a drive mechanism 220, a guide portion 230, a retracting mechanism 240, and a sensor 250.

The hand 210 grips the peripheral edge of the wafer W. The drive mechanism 220 moves the hand 210 in the horizontal direction.

The guide unit 230 guides the wafer W drawn out of the cassette to the transport path while supporting the wafer W. The guide portion 230 includes rails 231a and 231b, and guide support members 232a to 232c that support the rails 231a and 231b. The rails 231a and 231b are arranged on the positive side and the negative side of the X-axis. The guide support members 232a and 232b abut on the lower portions of the rails 231a and 231b. A guide support member 232c is connected to each lower portion of the guide support members 232a and 232b.

Further, the guide support members 232a to 232c are rectangular plate members. In FIGS. 2A and 2B, the guide support member 232a is divided into two bodies, but the retracting mechanism 240, which may be integrated, has the wafer W drawn out from the storage device 100 in the transport path. At the time of delivery, interference between the hand 210 and the member that receives the wafer W at the delivery position (for example, the gripping member on the transport path side) is avoided.

The sensor 250 detects the wafer W to be supplied when the hand 210 pulls out the wafer W from the cassette. The hand 210, the sensor 250, and the retracting mechanism 240 are connected via a connecting member in this order from the negative side of the Y-axis. Further, the retracting mechanism 240 is arranged below the hand 210 and the sensor 250.

Further, the evacuation mechanism 240 is specifically an air cylinder. When a predetermined pressure is applied to the retracting mechanism 240 from the air cylinder driving unit 405, the retracting mechanism 240 and the hand 210 and the sensor 250 connected via the connecting member move downward integrally. The air cylinder drive unit 405 is shown in FIG. 14 (a).

The drive mechanism 220 moves the wafer W gripped by the hand 210 in the horizontal direction. The drive mechanism 220 includes a pull-out guide portion 221 that moves the wafer W in the horizontal direction, and a moving member 222 that moves the pull-out guide portion 221. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the drawer guide portion 221 is arranged in the space surrounded by the guide support members 232a to 232c, and is mounted on the guide support member 232c. Further, the moving member 222 is equipped with a retracting mechanism 240.

In the pull-out mechanism 200, when the moving member 222 moves the pull-out guide portion 221 in the horizontal direction, the retracting mechanism 240, the sensor 250, the hand 210, the guide portion 230, and the wafer W are integrally moved in the horizontal direction.

The moving mechanism 300 moves the drawer mechanism 200 up and down between the first storage unit 101 and the second storage unit 102. The moving mechanism 300 includes an elevating guide 310 for elevating and lowering the pull-out mechanism 200, and an elevating member 320 for elevating and lowering the elevating guide 310.

The elevating member 320 is attached to the guide support member 232b. In the moving mechanism 300, the elevating member 320 moves the elevating guide 310, so that the pulling mechanism 200 is integrally raised and lowered via the elevating member 320.

Next, the supply of the wafer W to the transport path by the substrate supply system 1 will be described. Here, the substrate supply system 1 will be described assuming that the wafer W is supplied to the transport path 500.

Further, in the present embodiment, the wafers W housed in the lowermost portion of the first cassette 10 housed in the first storage section 101 are supplied to the transport path in order.

12 (a) to 13 (b) are perspective views showing the configuration of the substrate supply system 1 and the transport path 500. FIG. 12A shows a case where the wafer W is pulled out by the drawing mechanism 200, and FIG. 12B shows a case where the drawing of the wafer W by the drawing mechanism 200 is completed. FIG. 13 (a) shows immediately before the pull-out mechanism 200 delivers the wafer W to the delivery position of the transport path 500, and FIG. 13 (b) shows that the wafer W has been delivered to the delivery position of the transport path 500. Shows the case.

In FIGS. 12 (a) to 13 (b), the shutters 140 provided in the first storage unit 101 and the second storage unit 102 are open.

As shown in FIGS. 12A to 13B, the transport path 500 includes a transport mechanism 510, two transport rails 520, a guide member 530, and a transport hand 540. The transfer hand 540 grips the wafer W delivered from the substrate supply system 1. A transport hand 540 is attached to the transport rail 520 guide member 530, and when the transport mechanism 510 is driven, the guide member 530 moves along the guide of the transport mechanism 510. As a result, the wafer W is conveyed along the transfer rail 520.

As shown in FIG. 12A, the moving mechanism 300 integrally moves the pulling mechanism 200 downward and positions it at a predetermined height position. At this time, the moving mechanism 300 integrally moves the drawing mechanism 200 to a position where the hand 210 faces the wafer W to be supplied, which is housed in the first cassette 10 or the second cassette 20. Then, the hand 210 positioned at the height position of the wafer W to be supplied moves to the negative side of the Y-axis by the drive mechanism 220 to grip the wafer W to be supplied. At this time, the sensor 250 detects the wafer W to be supplied. This operation of the board supply system 1 is referred to as a "pull-out operation".

As shown in FIG. 12B, when the wafer W is gripped by the hand 210, the drive mechanism 220 pulls out the wafer W to the positive side of the Y-axis. The drawn wafer W is supported by the rails 231a and 231b and is positioned at the drawing position while being guided. At this time, the hand 210 is in a state of gripping the wafer W. This operation of the board supply system 1 is referred to as a "drawing completion operation".

As shown in FIG. 13A, when the wafer W is positioned at the drawing position, the moving mechanism 300 integrally moves the drawing mechanism 200 upward. At this time, the moving mechanism 300 integrally moves the pull-out mechanism 200 so that the height position of the rails 231a and 231b coincides with the height position of the transport rail 520 of the transport path 500. Further, the hand 210 is in a state of gripping the wafer W. This operation of the board supply system 1 is referred to as a "delivery preparation operation".

As shown in FIG. 13B, when the rails 231a and 231b of the pull-out mechanism 200 are positioned at the height position of the transport rail 520, that is, the delivery position, the hand 210 releases the wafer W. Then, a predetermined pressure is applied to the retracting mechanism 240, and the hand 210 and the sensor 250 move below the transport rail 520. As a result, the hand 210 and the sensor 250 do not interfere with the transport hand 540. In this state, the wafer W is still supported by the rails 231a and 231b. This operation of the board supply system 1 is referred to as a "delivery completion operation".

When the hand 210 releases the wafer W, the guide member 530 on which the transfer hand 540 is mounted moves along the guide of the transfer mechanism by driving the transfer mechanism 510, and the transfer hand 540 grips the wafer W. Then, the wafer W is transported to a predetermined location while being supported by the transport rail 520.

As described above, the substrate supply system 1 supplies the wafer W to the transport path. The substrate supply system 1 repeatedly executes the above-mentioned drawing operation, drawing completion operation, delivery preparation operation, and delivery completion operation while there is a wafer W to be supplied.

In the present embodiment, when all the wafers W housed in the first cassette 10 are supplied to the transport path, the pull-out mechanism 200 and the moving mechanism 300 are housed in the second storage section 102. The wafer W is pulled out from the cassette 20 of the above and supplied to the transport path. At this time, the drawing mechanism 200 and the moving mechanism 300 are sequentially pulled out from the wafer W housed in the lowermost portion of the second cassette 20, as in the case of pulling out the wafer W from the first cassette 10.

While the substrate supply system 1 draws the wafer W from the second cassette 20 and supplies it to the transport path, the operator opens the door 104 of the first storage unit 101 and mounts the first storage unit 101. The 110 is pulled out in the negative direction of the Y axis, and the mounting portion 110 is positioned at the attachment / detachment position. Then, the operator takes out the first cassette 10 from the mounting unit 110 of the first storage unit 101, accommodates the new wafer W in the first cassette 10, and mounts the first storage unit 101. After being placed on the 110, the first storage unit 101 can be positioned again at the storage position. In this way, even while the first cassette is being taken out from the first storage unit 101, the wafer W is pulled out from the second cassette 20 and the supply operation to the transport path is continued. Therefore, the operating rate of the substrate supply system 1 can be increased.

In addition to gripping the wafer W by hand as described above, the wafer W may be sucked and held by, for example, a member provided with a suction pad for delivery of the wafer W in the transport path.

[Supply operation of board supply system]
Next, the operation of supplying the wafer W by the substrate supply system 1 will be described. FIG. 14A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the substrate supply system 1. As shown in FIG. 14A, the board supply system 1 includes a storage device 100, a pull-out mechanism 200, and a movement mechanism 300, and further includes a control unit 400, an input unit 401, and a detection unit 402. , Equipped with. Further, a drawer guide drive unit 403, which is a drive unit for each of the drawer guide unit 221 and the evacuation guide 310, and the evacuation mechanism 240, an elevating guide drive unit 404, and an air cylinder drive unit 405 are provided.

The control unit 400 includes an arithmetic processing circuit such as a CPU and a memory such as a ROM, RAM, and a hard disk. The control unit controls each unit according to a program stored in the memory.

The input unit 401 accepts the start when the substrate supply system 1 supplies the wafer W to the transport path. The detection unit 402 detects the position of the wafer W to be supplied in the substrate supply system 1. Further, the detection unit 402 may be configured to detect that the wafer W has been supplied to the transport path. For the detection unit 402, for example, a sensor, an image pickup device, or the like can be used.

FIG. 14B is a flowchart showing the operation of the substrate supply system 1 according to the present embodiment. This control is executed by the control unit 400 shown in FIG. 14 (a). Here, the operation when the wafer W is supplied from the substrate supply system 1 to the transport path 500 will be described in the same manner as described above.

Further, in the flowchart of FIG. 14B, “start” is a time when the input unit receives the start of supply of the wafer W to the transport path. The first storage unit 101 and the second storage unit 102 of the storage device 100 contain the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 in which the wafer W is housed, respectively. Further, the wafer W is sequentially supplied from the wafer W housed in the lowermost portion of the first cassette 10 to the upper wafer W.

In step S11, the elevating guide driving unit 404 drives the elevating guide 310 to move the pull-out mechanism 200 to the height position of the wafer W to be supplied, and the sensor 250 detects the wafer W to be supplied. This is the above-mentioned pull-out operation, and corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 12 (a).

In step S12, when the sensor 250 detects the wafer W to be supplied, the control unit 400 drives the pull-out guide drive unit 403 to drive the hand 210 to grip the wafer W to be supplied, pull it out in the horizontal direction, and pull it out. Position it in position. This is the above-mentioned drawer completion operation, and corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 12 (b).

In step S13, the control unit 400 drives the elevating guide 310 to the elevating guide driving unit 404 to position the pull-out mechanism 200 at the height position of the transport rail 520 of the transport path 500. This is the above-mentioned delivery preparation operation, and corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 13 (a).

In step S14, when the detection unit 402 detects that the wafer W is located at the height position of the transfer rail 520, the control unit 400 drives the pull-out guide drive unit 403 to drive the hand 210, and the hand 210 drives the hand 210. Stops gripping the wafer W. Then, the control unit 400 causes the air cylinder drive unit 405 to apply a predetermined pressure to the retracting mechanism 240 to move the hand 210 downward. As a result, interference between the hand 210 and the transport hand 540 is avoided. This is the above-mentioned delivery completion operation, and corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 13 (b).

After step S14, the wafer W is delivered to the transport path 500 (see FIG. 13B) and is transported to a predetermined location. In step S15, when the detection unit 402 detects that the transfer of the wafer W has been completed, the control unit 400 determines whether or not the wafer W to be supplied is in the first cassette 10 or the second cassette 20. .. When there is a wafer W to be supplied (S15; YES), each operation of the above steps S11 to S14 is repeatedly executed. When there is no wafer W to be supplied (S15; NO), the supply of the wafer W to the transport path by the substrate supply system 1 is completed.

The substrate supply system 1 may be configured to include a display unit that displays the status of the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20. For example, when a display screen (not shown) is connected to the substrate supply system 1 and unprocessed, that is, the wafer W to be supplied remains in both the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20, the display is displayed. "Processing" is displayed on the screen. From this display, the operator can grasp that the wafer W is supplied to the transport path from the first cassette 10 or the second cassette 20.

Further, when the first cassette 10 is emptied, or when a planned number of wafers W are supplied to the transport path and unprocessed wafers W remain in the second cassette 20. "First cassette 10: Processing completed" is displayed. With this display, the operator immediately takes out the first cassette 10 from the first storage unit 101, newly accommodates the wafer W in the first cassette 10, and again stores the first cassette 10 in the first storage unit. It can be stored in 101.

Further, when the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 are emptied, or when the planned number of wafers W are supplied to the transport path, "processing completed" is displayed. From this display, the operator can grasp that the supply of the wafer W has been completed.

When the display unit is provided in this way, the operator can quickly grasp the states of the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 stored in the storage device 100, so that the work can be performed smoothly. be able to.

When the substrate supply system 1 is configured as described above, as shown in FIGS. 12 (a) to 13 (b), the drawing mechanism 200 is housed in the second storage unit 102 from the second cassette to the wafer. If the inside of the first cassette 10 is empty while W is pulled out and supplied to the transport path, the operator pulls out the mounting portion 110 from the first storage portion 101 and puts the first cassette 10 in the mounting portion. It is taken out from 110, and the wafer W to be supplied is housed in the first cassette 10. Then, the first cassette 10 can be stored in the first storage unit 101 again. As a result, when all the wafers W are supplied to the transport path from the first cassette 10, the wafers W are accommodated in the first cassette 10 without temporarily stopping the supply operation by the drawing mechanism 200, and the first cassette W is accommodated. It can be stored in the storage unit 101. Therefore, the wafer W can be continuously supplied to the transport path from the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20, and the operating rate of the substrate supply system 1 can be increased.

Further, the wafer W supplied from the second cassette 20 to the transport path may be processed by a predetermined device and then returned to the second cassette 20 through the same transport path. In this case, after all the wafers W supplied from the second cassette 20 to the transport path have returned to the second cassette 20, the second cassette 20 is taken out from the second storage portion 102, and the second cassette 20 is taken out. The processed wafer W can be recovered from the wafer W, the unprocessed wafer W can be stored in the second cassette 20, and the wafer W can be stored in the second storage unit 102 again.

Further, the substrate supply system 1 does not move the storage device 100 in the vertical and horizontal directions. Generally, semiconductor wafers are thin films, brittle, and vulnerable to impact. Therefore, when the storage device 100 moves, the wafer W to be supplied may be damaged due to shaking or vibration. In this respect, in the substrate supply system 1, the wafer W is pulled out by the pull-out mechanism 200 and the moving mechanism 300. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the wafer W from being damaged in the storage device 100.

Further, the pull-out mechanism 200 includes rails 231a and 231b. As a result, when the hand 210 pulls out the wafer W, the wafer W is pulled out while being supported by the rails 231a and 231b. Therefore, the wafer W can be smoothly pulled out.

Further, in the storage device 100, the first storage unit 101 and the second storage unit 102 are arranged side by side in the stacking direction of the wafer W. As a result, the pull-out mechanism 200 can be moved only in the stacking direction, and the hand 210 can be positioned on the wafer W of the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20. Therefore, the configuration and control of the moving mechanism 300 can be simplified.

Further, in the substrate supply system 1, the stacking direction is the vertical direction. As a result, the wafer W can be accommodated in the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20 in a stable state. Further, the wafer W can be stably and horizontally pulled out from the first cassette 10 and the second cassette 20.

Further, in the substrate supply system 1, the wafer W is supplied from the first cassette 10 of the first storage unit 101. That is, the pull-out mechanism 200 moves in one direction from the lower side to the upper side without going back and forth in the stacking direction. Therefore, when the first cassette 10 becomes empty, the first cassette 10 is promptly taken out from the storage device 100, a new wafer W is stored in the first cassette 10, and the first storage is performed again. It can be stored in the unit 101. Therefore, the wafer W is smoothly and efficiently supplied.

The wafer W may be supplied from the second cassette 20. In this case, the wafer W housed in the uppermost portion of the second cassette 20 may be supplied in order so that the drawing mechanism 200 moves in one direction in the stacking direction.

Further, in the substrate supply system 1, when the wafer W is supplied from the first cassette 10 of the first storage unit 101, the wafer W is supplied in order from the wafer W housed in the lowermost portion of the first cassette 10. .. As a result, the wafer W can be efficiently supplied to the transport path from one cassette. Therefore, a work cycle in which the cassette containing the empty or processed wafer W is taken out from the storage device 100, the unprocessed wafer W is stored in the cassette, and the cassette is stored in the storage device 100 again. Can be accelerated.

<Effect of embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 3, the regulating portion 130 is supported by the mounting portion 110 via the supporting portion 160 and the link mechanism 170. Therefore, the regulating unit 130 moves integrally in the horizontal direction as the mounting unit 110 moves. Therefore, while the cassette and the mounting portion 110 are horizontally moved from the attachment / detachment position to the storage position, the regulation portion 130 comes into contact with the portion of the wafer W housed in the cassette on the supply region side. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the wafer W from jumping out from the cassette toward the supply region side and falling while the mounting portion 110 is moving.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the mounting portion 110 is positioned at the attachment / detachment position, the entrance / exit of the mounting portion 110 is blocked by the shutter 140, so that the operator unexpectedly attaches / detaches the cassette. It is possible to prevent the hand from being inserted into the storage device 100.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (a) to 8 (c), when the regulating unit 130 is raised or lowered to open the supply region side of the second storage unit 102, the regulating unit 130 is moved from the wafer W. It can be retracted to the supply area side. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the regulating unit 130 from moving up and down while rubbing against the wafer W, and it is possible to prevent the wafer W from being damaged.

Further, since the elevating mechanism 150 for raising and lowering the shutter 140 is shared for raising and lowering the regulation unit 130, the mechanical system and the control system can be simplified.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 (a) to 6 (c), when the mounting portion 110 moves to the storage position, the linking member 121 mounted on the shutter 140 fits into the receiving member 152 on the elevating mechanism 150 side. Therefore, the elevating mechanism 150 and the shutter 140 are linked. As a result, the shutter 140 can be smoothly moved up and down by the elevating mechanism 150 at the storage position.

Further, since the transfer roller 121b is also used as the linking member 121, the configuration can be simplified. Further, at the storage position, the transfer roller 121b is fitted into the receiving member 152 to restrict the movement of the linking member 121, so that the mounting portion 110 can be appropriately positioned at the storage position.

In the present embodiment, the storage device 100 is provided with two storage portions, but three or more storage portions may be provided.

Further, the wafer W supplied to the transport path may be configured to return to the cassette housed before the supply. In this case, the wafer W is delivered from the transport path to the hand 210 of the pull-out mechanism 200 at the delivery position. The moving mechanism 300 positions the drawing mechanism 200 at a position before the wafer W is supplied. Then, the wafer W is inserted into the cassette by the pull-out mechanism 200.

With this configuration, the wafers W that have been subjected to the predetermined processing can be collectively collected and moved to another process.

Further, the storage device 100 can be combined with a plurality of units for processing wafers to form a substrate processing device 30.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 30 including the substrate supply system 1. As shown in FIG. 15, the substrate processing apparatus 30 includes a scribing unit 40 that forms a scribing line on the surface of the wafer W, a film laminating unit 50 that attaches a film to the surface of the wafer W on which the scribing line is formed, and a film. A reversing unit 60 that inverts the wafer W so that the surface to which the film is attached is on the lower side, and a break unit 70 that applies a predetermined force to the surface to which the film is not attached to divide the wafer W along the scribe line. And a transport unit 80 that transports the wafer W to a predetermined position. In FIG. 15, the substrate supply system 1 is covered with a housing. In the substrate processing apparatus 30 having the above configuration, the wafer W is smoothly supplied by the substrate supply system 1, so that the operating rate of the apparatus is increased. Can be enhanced.

The embodiments of the present invention can be appropriately modified in various ways within the scope of the technical idea shown in the claims.

1 ... Substrate supply system 10 ... First cassette 20 ... Second cassette 30 ... Substrate processing device 40 ... Scribe unit 50 ... Film laminating unit 60 ... Inversion unit 70 ... Break unit 80 ... Conveying unit 110 ... Mounting unit 120 ... Moving part 121 ... Linking member 121b ... Transfer roller 130 ... Regulatory part 140 ... Shutter 150 ... Elevating mechanism 152 ... Receiving member 170 ... Link mechanism 180 ... Detection means W ... Substrate (wafer)

Claims (8)

A storage device for storing the cassette in order to pull out the substrate from a cassette in which a plurality of substrates are laid out and accommodated so as to be used in a processing process.
A mounting portion on which the cassette is detachably mounted and
A moving portion that horizontally moves the above-described mounting portion between the cassette attachment / detachment position and the cassette storage position, and a moving portion.
A storage device that is supported by the above-mentioned resting portion so as to be able to move up and down, and is provided with a regulating portion that faces the end face on the back side of the cassette mounted on the previously described resting portion.
In the storage device according to claim 1,
The regulating portion is supported by the supporting portion via a link mechanism that brings the regulating portion closer to and away from the end surface on the inner side of the cassette as it moves up and down.
A storage device characterized by that.
In the storage device according to claim 1 or 2.
A shutter supported on the back side of the regulation member so as to be able to move up and down to the above-mentioned mounting portion,
A lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the shutter at the storage position is provided.
The regulating portion is integrally supported by the shutter.
A storage device characterized by that.
In the storage device according to claim 3,
The elevating mechanism includes a receiving member that is driven in the vertical direction.
A storage device characterized in that a linking member that fits into the receiving member is integrally installed in the shutter at the storage position.
In the storage device according to claim 4,
Provided integrally with the shutter, a transfer roller for transferring the above-described mounting portion between the attachment / detachment position and the storage position is provided.
The transfer roller constitutes the linking member and constitutes the linking member.
A storage device characterized in that when the above-mentioned resting portion moves to the storage position, the transfer roller is fitted into the receiving member.
In the storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A storage device including a detection means for detecting whether or not the substrate is protruding from the cassette.
In the storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
A first storage unit that detachably stores the first cassette, and
It is equipped with a second storage unit that detachably stores the second cassette.
A storage device characterized in that the second cassette is taken out from the second storage portion while the substrate is pulled out from the first cassette and subjected to a processing step.
It is a storage device that stores cassettes in order to pull out the substrates from the cassettes in which a plurality of substrates are laid out and accommodated so as to be used in a processing process.
A mounting portion on which the cassette is detachably mounted and
A moving portion that horizontally moves the above-described mounting portion between the cassette attachment / detachment position and the cassette storage position, and a moving portion.
A storage device provided with a restricting portion that is supported by the above-described mounting portion so as to be able to move up and down and that faces the end face on the back side of the cassette mounted on the previously described mounting portion.
A scribe unit that forms a scribe line on the surface of the substrate,
A film laminating unit that attaches a film to the surface of the substrate on which the scribe line is formed, and
An inversion unit that inverts the substrate so that the surface to which the film is attached is on the lower side.
A break unit that applies a predetermined force to the surface to which the film is not attached to divide the substrate along the scribe line, and
A substrate processing apparatus comprising a transport portion for transporting the substrate to a predetermined position.

Images